We’re serving up some serious office envy in our new series, where we take you inside the city’s most covet-worthy jobs. From fashion-focused careers to just plain gorgeous desk setups, take a peek inside the glam life of Philly’s corporate elite. Our first subject is none other than Shoppist Editor Emily Goulet, whose office is something out of Devil Wears Prada (minus the bad energy), plus charming details that are somehow quirky and chic at the same time. How does she do it? We caught up with her between meetings to find out – and snapped some pics for your ogling pleasure. PS: We promise, this wasn’t styled for blog purposes. Yep, it really always looks like this. Le sigh.

My little corner nook is where people come and crash if they need a break. That papasan chair is from college! It’s been through a lot. I love myJonathan Adler initial pillow—it was given to me as a gift by Dallas Shaw, an incredible local fashion illustrator. My inspiration wall constantly changes—I can’t read a magazine without tearing out pages, either for photography, styling, design or content ideas. (Or sometimes just because it’s pretty.)

I used to cover home design, and I’m still always inspired by how people style their spaces. I miss peeking into people’s houses! I adore my Cynthia Rowley mug; it was passed down to me by a former Philly Mag editor, who I think got it from Joy Cho, the insanely cool woman (and former Philly girl!) behind Oh Joy!.

I keep a few pairs of shoes in my office at all times, in case I want to switch out during the day. And when I’m not wearing them, they’re pretty to look at. I love that little painted apple container; it was a gift from a local designer, Mariel Rojo, who also happened to make my most favorite kimono/robe ever. Valentino shoes.

Colette, my hot pink alligator, makes everyone smile. She’s from Occasionette on East Passyunk. And I adore my YSL coloring book, though I still haven’t actually colored in it.

I hang sweet thank-you notes from some of my favorite people I’ve worked with—shop owners and designers—on my bulletin board. They make me smile. My wishbone necklace is by a Philly designer, J. Rudy Lewis. The fashion illustration is by a great local designer, Megan Swansen.

I’m a crazy organizer, and I like to surround myself with things I find beautiful. Instead of boring Staples pencil holders, I keep my pens and pencils stashed in vintage milk glass vases. They also make great bracelet holders for when I need to de-accessorize in order to type.

When I was little, I used to type stories on an old typewriter and dream of being a writer. This isn’t the same one I used, but I love it — it was a gift from my mom, who is the best vintage shopper probably ever.

I keep a rolling rack in my office to hang coats or other layers when I’m not wearing them, but I also keep some of my favorite pieces here, too, like my gold sequined coat I found at Sazz Vintage in Old City. I just like to look at it, and if I have a last-minute event or party to attend after work, I can throw it on for a instant outfit upgrade. 3.1 Phillip Lim Vest from Knit Wit, Rittenhouse.

I have some of my favorite things framed and hanging in my office: illustrations by talented local artist Melissa Noucas of The Atelier, a drawing of me by Alex Stadler, the owner of Stadler-Kahn on Sansom Street and one of the most fun-loving and creative people I know, and a sweet love note from my husband.

Until very recently, I considered designer shoes, clothes, anything, completely out of the realm of a possibility for me to own (unless found in a rare vintage shopping moment of glory). Let’s face it, I’m a broke millennial with student loans that eat my paychecks faster than you can say “I know guac is extra.” However, a recent trip to New York ended somehow in a euphoric train ride home clutching my first pair of designer shoes like a newborn baby, and no one was more surprised than me.

It’s all Emily Goulet’s fault, really. I guess that’s what you get when you go to the Big Apple with a shopping editor. One minute I was at a showroom in Chelsea taking notes for a story, and the next I was falling truly, madly, deeply in love with a pair of embellished black booties. The location was Jeffrey, a non-threatening alternative to Bergdorf Goodman, with a cool selection of luxury brands—far too luxurious for me to be shopping there.

But there they were, the most beautiful boots I’d ever seen. “Dries Van Noten,” the salesman cooed, watching me quiver with joy as I ran my fingers across the funky iridescent stitching. I tried to play it cool, stealing a glance at the price sticker, but I lost all control of facial expression when I saw the number. And then I realized that this number was the markdown price—a 70 percent discount from the original four-figure cost. Emily told me to try them on anyway. (“If you were a shoe, you would be those boots,” she said.) I slipped them on, audibly sighing. They were dreamier than any man, ever.

I tried to talk myself down from every angle: Where would I ever wear them? They’re deceivingly high; I can hardly walk in these. I don’t really like them that much. (False.)

Emily was my shoulder devil, shouting out the things she knew I needed to hear: “They’re insane,” and “Just do it; just rip the Band-Aid off.” I started breathing faster. I’d never paid this much for anything besides my iPhone. And my student loans each month. Which then reminded me: Hey, I work hard to make those payments on time—isn’t it time to treat myself a little bit? Or a lot? Also, when did these pit stains happen?

And then, something inside me snapped: I was doing it. Emily burst into applause. I closed my eyes as I handed over my debit card, hand shaking. The salesman swiped it like a sword being drawn for battle. How does one breathe again? He handed me my new shoes, all wrapped up in the beautiful Dries Van Noten box, with a giant smile. I exhaled for the first time in 20 minutes. Those booties were all mine—I’d never felt so alive!!!

What I gained from that blood-pumping, metaphorical-Band-Aid-ripping experience is far more than a pair of hot shoes that make me feel like a badass. My purchase at Jeffrey commemorated my fateful trip to NYC with Emily for life. As I see it, those shoes mark a major rite of passage into adulthood: Investing in something major that I will treasure and care for, instead of blowing the same amount of money over the course of six months on crap that’ll be donated by next season. I now understand what they mean when they say fast-fashion isn’t worth it: Wait to buy great things that set your heart aflutter—you’ll keep them in tip-top shape and have them for life.

Most of all, I proved something very important to myself: Those luxury brands that seemed out of my league my whole life aren’t so unattainable anymore. Sure, I may have to shop the sale rack until I die, but Dries Van Noten (or any other designer for that matter) can be mine—so long as I work hard and shop smart. And never get a credit card.

Welcome to another edition of UNFILTERED, a series of interviews with influencers and marketers that are shaping the future of commerce.

Meet Jessica Egbu, a British expat turned marketing superstar. When she’s not creating gorgeous content for her blog The Oxfordist, she’s changing up the tech-meets-fashion game as community manager at Betabrand, a 10-year-old e-commerce company that’s democratizing the fashion industry through their thriving online community. Oh yeah — she’s only 24.

We connected over lattes and pastries in San Francisco’s Mission District to learn more about Betabrand’s business model, which manufactures crowdsourced and crowdfunded apparel designs, bypassing the traditional barriers of entry in the notoriously stingy fashion industry. Did we mention Betabrand’s secured around $30 million in venture capital funding as of October 2015?

Tell us more about Betabrand’s business model.

Betabrand has the mantra: “New ideas nonstop!” — and we haven’t left that mentality when making our products. We’re new in the sense of an established clothing company, but we’ve done a lot for who we are. We’re close-knit, communicative … not like your typical corporate startup. People say we’re a fashion startup, and we take that role, but I really feel we’re just innovators trying to make the world a better place through apparel.

How does the design process work?

We label ourselves as a crowdfunding company, so the public submits ideas to us, the public gets the opportunity to vote on said product, and if it does really well, we put it in motion. We walk through the designer’s process and create the prototype in-house. Our photographers shoot the prototype, which goes online via our website. If successfully funded by the public, it becomes a permanent product under the Betabrand name. Taking shipping, manufacturing and construction into account, we set a crowdfunding goal for each product. Anyone who supported the product by buying one [in the prototype phase] gets one if it meets the crowdfunding goal.

How have recent technological advancements and changes in consumer behavior helped make this business model work?

We’re all about hype. Everyone wants the next best thing, and they want it now. Our company asks why, how, and what do you want in a product. Giving the public the opportunity to design something they think should be public to everyone and facilitating that opportunity is what makes us different. That’s why we work versus a regular company who has specific collections for specific seasons. The public only has the opportunity to buy what those companies make, versus having the opportunity to be involved in the process.

With social, people now have a voice and can communicate with brands/designers. How important is that feedback loop?

Very important. Say someone submits an idea for a jacket, and we put it into work. We can instantly ask the public, “Hey, do you like this fabric?” We can poll on colors, ask, communicate, and change something we might think works but the public doesn’t. We alter. That’s the route to success, because ultimately we produce products that everyone loves. We want to make products they would want to take a selfie in and share on social media.

We’ve modernized through designer profiles to allow the public to get a better look at who’s designing the product, meshing the supporter role with designer role and the staff of Betabrand. We’re able to communicate through comments, polls, voting, and it’s all a fusion of an online community for the better of apparel in general. They’re given the opportunity to see the process of a product start to finish and weigh in.

What does Betabrand do differently than other traditional clothing/fashion brands and retailers?

Any ecomm is competition. We compare to others like thredUP, Everlane or Chubbies, but it’s different in that the public designs our products. We’re more for the people than for the traditional sense of fashion. We give the people what they want.

How does working for a fast-moving startup make your job as a marketer exciting?

I get to interact with the creative part of the world online. Whoever I’m interacting with is a cool photographer or someone who thinks they can change the way a jacket is constructed. It’s the creme of the crop on social media. As community manager, it’s amazing to be able to meet so many different people on the web every day that want to have a voice, as a designer or someone who loves style in general, and incorporate that into the Betabrand way. I get to communicate, create, and see other people’s points of view.

You’re investing a lot in vertical video on Snapchat and Instagram—why? What do you hope to achieve?

Vertical video is just an extension of the community we have on the website. We want to stay focused on communicating what we’re doing and how we’re doing it. Sneak peeks are a gateway to the exciting parts of what Betabrand is doing. We love to show product updates and shenanigans around the office. We owe it to our supporters to give them a window into what we’re doing. It happens to be that IG and Snapchat are great facilitators of the opportunity. It’s also really fun that this is my job.

What are your thoughts on the future of vertical video as a medium?

It’s interesting that we’re reformatting to that way of recording, and it’s only because that’s the way most of our phones are shaped. There’s no right or wrong in conveying a message when it comes to vertical versus horizontal, but apps and social media in general will stick to that path because it’s accessible, easier and the way devices are headed for now.

How do you work with influencers?

I organically reach out to influencers that would be great fits and appreciate the brand the way I appreciate the brand.

Do you think about using influencers to create products as well as promote them?

All the time. It’s not just influencers — we use everyday functions like: “How can I sweat less in a jacket?” It’s less about the influencer and more about the person and how they can survive day-to-day and look great doing it.

You have nearly 10,000 Instagram followers, do you think of yourself as an influencer?

I try not to, just so I can stay grounded. If you asked my friends, they would say yes, but I would deny it. I like what I like, and if I’m bold enough to share it, I will. But I don’t expect anything from the public. I do get excited when my mom occasionally likes my Instagram photos.

What do you think the future of influencer marketing looks like?

People look up to those who participate online and are involved with things they share interests with. It’s a natural human behavior to look up to people we aspire to be. It will naturally reflect the way we buy, dress, live … not really the other way around.

What is something unique to your career experience/background that taught you how to build a brand?

I have a background in fashion journalism. I’m fortunate enough to know how to describe a garment. It helps that I’m the age that I am in this day and age of social media. Everybody is really into “the now” and want to know things instantly. They have the attention span of potatoes. What I bring to the table is that I can inform a user about our brand before they slide up to the next photo on Instagram.

What is your motto that you live/work by?

I do say this a lot: “It’s not that serious.”

You’re Betabrand’s target demographic. Does that help you think like the consumer you’re trying to reach?

Absolutely. It’s nice that I’m able to cater to myself, as if I’m the user.

How does your experience running The Oxfordist play into your role at Betabrand?

F. Scott Fitzgerald said: “You don’t write because you want to say something; you write because you have something to say.” Just like social media is an extension of Betabrand’s website, the ultimate platform where we sell, the Oxfordist is an extension of me that allows me to gain experience on how I should exhibit myself (or our brand) to the public in a respectable, authentic and innovative manner.

UNFILTERED was created by Curalate Marketing Director Brendan Lowry and Manager of Content Strategy Jared Shelly.